Releasing device.



C. HUNT.

RELEASING DEVICE.

APPLIOATION FILED we. 5, 1908.-

931,122. Patented Aug. 17, 1909.

WITNESSES I INVENTOH f U/zarZesJfuzzi By Md W I ATTORNEYS uuuuuuuuuuu RWM no. Pmnmuwoamvuins, WASNINGYON, n. c,

Fig. 1.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES HUNT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO JASON ROGERS, OF ESSEX FELLS, NEW JERSEY.

RELEASING DEVICE.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES HUNT, a

citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Releasing Device, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to boats to be launched from vessels, and its object is to provide a new and improved releasing de vice arranged to permit instant releasing of the boat-lowering means from the boat as soon as the latter reaches the water, thus allowing the crew to quickly pull away from the vessel and thus prevent the boat from injury by bumping against the side of the vessel, especially if a heavy sea should prevail at the time.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, which will be more fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

A. practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a perspective View of the improvement as applied; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the releasing devices; and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the same.

The boat A is provided at the ends with the releasing devices B, B connected with the boat-lowering means C, C, such as block and tackle connected with davits mounted on board of the vessel from which the boat A is to be launched.

The releasing devices B, B are alike in construction, and each is mounted on a frame D having its base fastened to the boat A by screws, bolts or other means, and on the outer end of the frame D are formed lugs D engaged by a transversely-extending pivot pin E of a swing arm F, adapted to receive the eye or ring C forming part of the boatlowering means C, as plainly indicated in The free end of the swing arm F is normally seated on a seat D formed integrally on the frame D, and the top of the free end of the swing arm F is engaged by the lug G of a retaining block G having a transversely-extending pivot pin H mounted in lugs D formed integrally on the inner Patented Aug. 17, 1909.

Serial No. 447,070.

end of the frame D. The retaining block G is provided with a rearwardly-extending lug G adapted to be engaged at its under side by a friction roller I journaled on a lever I fulcrumed at the lower end I on the inner end of the frame D, as plainly shown in the drawings. The lever I is connected by a spring J with the lug G of the retaining block G, so as to hold the lever I normally in looking position relative to the retaining block G, as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The lever I when in the normal position shown and described engages a notch G formed on the lug G to hold the lever I against lateral movement.

The upper or free ends of the levers I for the releasing devices B, B are connected with the ends of a chain K extending under guide pulleys L held on the boat A adjacent to the releasing devices B, B, and the chain K after leaving the pulleys L is divided into branch chains K, K extending along the sides of the boat A at the inside thereof. he branch chains K, K are supported and guided at intervals by pulleys l attached to the boat, and the branch chains K, I? are provided at intervals with handles K adapted to be taken hold of by an occupant of the boat, for exerting a pull transversely on the branch chains K, K with a view to swing the levers I simultaneously into an open position and against the tension of the spring J (see dotted lines in Fig. 3) whenever it is desired to release the heat A from the boatlowering means C, C.

IVhen the several parts are in the posi tion shown in the drawings, and the eyes or rings C of the boat-lowering means 0, C are engaged with the swing arms F, as indicated in Fig. I, then the boat A can be conveniently lowered from the checks on board the vessel, until the boat A reaches the water, and then an occupant in the boat A on pull ing either of the branch chains K, It? causes a swinging of the levers I simultaneously, to move the friction rollers I from under the lugs G of the retaining blocks G, whereby the retaining blocks G are unlocked and swung into an open position owing to the pull exerted in an upward direction against the swing arms F by the eyes or rings C of the boat-lowering means C, C carrying the boat. It is understood that when the retaining blocks G are released by the friction rollers I of the levers I, the blocks G release the free ends of the swing arms F, to permit the latter to swing upward into an open position, as shown in Fig. 3, whereby the rings or eyes C slide ofi the swing arms F, thus disconnecting the boat A. from the boat-lowering means G, C, thereby permitting the crew of the boat to push away from the vessel.

From the foregoing it will be seen that when the boat A reaches the water, it requires simply but a pull onone of the branch chains K, 1. to unlock the'releasing device so-that the boat-retaining means become disconnected from the boat A. As both releasing devices B, E are actuated simultaneously, it is evident that the boat cannot be tilted endwise, andhence the danger of spilling the occupants ofthe boat is reduced to a minimum.

When the releasing devices B, B are in closed and locked positions, any upward pull exerted by the boat-lowering means C, C on the arms F does not cause the latter to swing open as the free ends of the arms F are locked in place in the seat D by the retaining blocks G, and the latter are locked in place by the friction rollers I of the levers I held against opening by the springs J. When the levers I are, however, swung inward, as above explained, then the retaining blocks G are unlocked, and the retaining blocks lock the swing arms F, to allow the latter to swing upward and the eyes or rings C to slide over the said swing arms.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A boat provided at the ends with releasing devices, each comprising a frame attached to the boat, an arm pivoted on the frame and adapted to receive a member of the boat-lowering device, a block pivoted on the frame, and engaging the free end of said arm, a lever for locking the block, and a spring connecting the end of said lever with the said block.

2. A boat provided at the ends with releasing devices, each comprising a frame attached to the boat, an arm pivoted at one end on the frame and adapted to receive a member of the boat lowering device, a block pivoted on the frame and engaging the free end of said arm, a lever fulcrumed on the frame and having a friction roller engaging the block to lock the same, and a spring connecting the said lever with the said block.

3. A boat provided at the ends with releasing devices, each comprising a frame attached to the boat, an arm pivoted at one end on the frame and adapted to receive a member of the boat lowering device, a block pivoted between its ends on the frame, one end of said block engaging the free end of said arm, a lever fulcrumed on the frame and having a friction roller adapted to extend beneath the other end of said block, and manually controlled means connected with the said locking levers for simultaneously moving the same to unlock the releasing devices.

4:. A releasing device of the class described, comprising a frame for attachment to a boat and having a seat, an arm pivoted on the said frame and adapted to receive a member of the boat-lowering means, the free end of the said armbeing adapted to rest in the said seat, a block pivoted on the said frame and having lugs extending in opposite directions, one of the lugs engaging the free end of the said arm opposite the said seat, a locking lever fulcrumed on the said frame and engaging the other lug, and a spring connecting the said lever with the said block.

A releasing device of the class de scribed, comprising a frame for attachment to a boat and having a seat, an arm pivoted on the said frame and adapted to receive a member of the boat-lowering means, the free end of the said arm being adapted to rest in the said seat, a block pivoted on the said frame and having lugs extending in opposite directions, one of the lugs engaging the free end of the said arm opposite the said seat, and a locking lever fulcrumed on the said frame and having a friction roller engaging the other lug.

(5. A releasingdevice of the class described, comprising a pivoted member for engagement by the boatslowering means, a pivoted locking block having lugs extending in opposite directions, one of the lugs being arranged for engagement with the free end of said pivoted member to hold the latter against opening and a locking lever adapted to engage a notch formed in the other lug of said locking block, the said lever having a member for engaging with the under face of said last mentioned lug to lock the said locking block against opening.

7 A releasing device of the class described comprising aframe for attachment to-a boat, and'having a seat, an arm pivoted on the said frame and adapted to receive a member of the boat lowering means, the free end of the said arm being adapted to rest on the said seat, a block pivoted on the said frame and having lugs extending in 0pposite directions, one of the lugs resting on the free end of the said arm, and a lockinglever fulcrumed at its lower end on the said frame and adapted to engage a notch formed in the end of the other lug of said block, the said locking lever having a friction roller adapt-' ed to engage the under side of said last mentioned lug.

S. The combination with a boat, and-boatlowering means, of releasing devices held on the ends of the boat and comprising releasing members engaged by the boatlowering means, pivoted blocks for locking the releasing members, locking levers for said blocks, springs connecting the locking levers With said blocks, and flexible connections eX tending along the sides of the boat at the inside thereof, and connecting said locking levers.

9. The combination with a boat, and boat lowering means, of releasing devices held on the ends of the boat, and comprising releasing members engaged by said boat-lowering means, blocks for locking the releasing n1en1- hers, locking levers provided With friction rollers engaging said blocks to lock the same, springs connecting the locking levers with said blocks, a chain connected at its ends with the said locking levers and extending along the sides of the boat, and guides for guiding the said chain.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

CHARLES HUNT.

Witnesses PHILIP D. RoLLHAUs, EVERARD B. MARSHALL. 

